The trails through Muskoseepi Park were quiet late Tuesday morning, perhaps because of the snowy conditions (Photo: Shaun Penner)

By Shaun Penner

Trail walking okay if distanced

Get outside but keep your distance from others: Hinshaw

Mar 24, 2020 | 2:58 PM

Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health says it is important to get outside but maintaining your social distance from others remains imperative.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw remarked during her daily COVID-19 update on Monday, speaking specifically on images that have surfaced notably in Calgary and Edmonton over the weekend showing large amounts of people using community trails, while not maintaining the necessary six-foot rule when it comes to physical distancing from others.

Dr. Hinshaw did not discourage the use of community parks and trails but did say social distancing must be adhered to.

“I do encourage people to go for walks and enjoy being outside. At the same time, it is extremely important to maintain that distance between others,” said Hinshaw. “Please be careful to maintain a distance of two metres and to avoid touching rails, garbage cans or other potential sources of transmission.”

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In Grande Prairie, that sentiment would apply to the trails through Muskoseepi Park, Maskwôtêh Park and South Bear Creek, among others. In an emailed statement from the City of Grande Prairie, it also did not denounce the continued use of the parks’ trail systems but says users must heed to the health authority’s guidelines.

“We hope that residents are taking health experts advice and continuing to get fresh air while practicing proper social distancing. We have not had any reports of overcrowding in our park system to date.”

That encouragement to get outside does not include activities like taking children to the playground, though, as the Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP) barred the use of playground equipment back on March 20.

Dr. Hinshaw did say that leaving town to go on a hike or otherwise was not a good idea, as to avoid potentially spreading the virus to other parts of the province.

“I especially caution Albertans against planning trips to provincial parks or the mountains, where many washrooms, restaurants and facilities are closed, and where it is possible that large crowds could form,” said Hinshaw. “Now is not the time for travel.”

Parks Canada announced on Tuesday that it is restricting vehicle access to national parks and national historic sites, starting at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, after people flocked to popular areas over the past weekend.

Provincial parks, as of Tuesday, remain open to the public in Alberta but as noted by Dr. Hinshaw, facilities such as washrooms and visitation centres are closed.